1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to directed to methods for extraction of images from a site in a network of images for further processing, such as storing or printing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent developments in digital photography have changed the landscape of photo handling, storage, and processing. For example, many consumers are using the Internet to share and store digital photos that are acquired on a digital camera, digital scanner, or from the Internet. In many cases, the same web sites that provide storage of digital photos also allow consumers to order hardcopy prints of their digital photos. However, as consumer photo printing devices, including the ink and media used therein, improve in quality and become more cost-effective, consumers may choose to print more of their own photos. Unfortunately, the process of printing photos from a remote photo collection may be cumbersome. Printing each desired photo may require some combination of downloading and printing or “right-clicking” and printing the individual photos and repeating the process for each image.
In addition to a consumer's own photos, the Internet provides a plethora of digital images that are accessible whether by browsing or by image searches. In the former case, conventional web browsing reveals web pages that are usually some combination of objects such as frames, text, and images, including still images, videos, and moving graphics. Sometimes, a user may wish to print a hardcopy of an image that appears on a website, only to determine that image of interest is cropped or missing on the resulting printed page.
Images may also be obtained through a search engine. In some cases, the results of the search appear as an arranged list of thumbnail images that represent a link to a higher resolution version. Users may wish to print some or all of these images. Unfortunately, this may entail browsing to each individual “hit” and downloading and printing or “right-clicking” and printing the individual photos. After each image is obtained, the user may have to return to the search page to browse to another image. Furthermore, the search results may span multiple pages, thus requiring additional steps to reach and obtain the desired images. Each of the different scenarios described requires a rather cumbersome sequence of steps to obtain and/or print the desired images and may not always achieve the desired results.